A ChildMinerva Christmas
by OSUSprinks
Summary: ADMM Written for ChildMinerva's Secret Santa present on the Boards. A girl's night for Minerva, Poppy, Pomona, and Rolanda in front of the fire leads to a very Merry Christmas for them all!


_A/N: This was written for ChildMinerva/Miss McGonagle's Secret Santa Present on the Boards. The story is mine but the quote, Austen inspiration, and Sev are all her ideas! Merry Christmas everyone!!! OSUSprinks_

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A ChildMinerva Christmas

Severus sat grading papers in the darkest corner of the staffroom. As was so often the case, he had been unnoticed or more likely forgotten by the others occupants of the room who were currently engaged in one of the most ridiculous conversations he had ever heard.

Minerva McGonagall, Pomona Sprout, Rolanda Hooch and Poppy Pomfrey were sitting on large pillows in front of the roaring fire. Well he should say Minerva was sitting, the other three had long since lain down upon the pillows, looking more ridiculous than their esteemed Deputy would allow for herself. The students had left that morning for winter break and for once every single one of the sniveling brats had left for home or some other destination. Severus didn't really care where they had gone, he was too happy that the castle was free of its student body and to have a few weeks of adult interaction. At least he had hoped it would consist of adult interaction and conversation, although as he paused in his grading to listen to the women speak, he was beginning to have his doubts.

Pomona giggled, actually giggled, he thought in disgust as he wondered how much alcohol they had consumed. His calculations were interrupted by Pomona's words.

"Oh, it's always been Mr. Darcy for me. I loved him in the book, always so quiet, but still commanding attention. It's the strong silent type for me, alright. And when I saw the mini-series with Colin Firth I was a true convert. He's so dreamy. The looks he gives her, I could just melt!" Severus found himself wishing she would or he could melt, anything to get out of this room without the women realizing he had been listening in. "And that lake scene, oh, how she ever walked away from him I'll never know! Yummy."

Rolanda laughed heartily, not an annoying giggle or dainty laugh, Severus noted. No there was nothing dainty about their Flight Instructor, she was brash and rambunctious. She was, like her laugh, full of heart. She- His thoughts were once again interrupted, though this time by a voice he enjoyed listening to.

"I always loved Willoughby the most of Austen's men."

Hearing a groan from Poppy, Severus' hopes were raised that he had found an ally in ending the conversation, only to have them dashed as she continued. "Only you, Ro, could love such a scoundrel. I've always enjoyed Colonel Brandon. He's so dedicated to her, loving her even when he believes there is no chance for a return of his affections, that he is too unlovable. They are so very different, but they needed each other. Such a beautiful thought. Not to mention Alan Rickman played the part in the film. Ooh la la." She giggled as she poured the last of yet another bottle of wine into her glass.

Rolanda, he noticed with interest, was drinking whiskey. He watched as she twirled her glass between her perfectly manicured fingers, amazing considering her job, before abandoning it to drink from the bottle. Severus nearly missed her words as he gazed upon her red lips and flushed cheeks.

"Brandon was boring. I always hoped Willoughby would return to her in the end. He loved her and he would have been returned to his aunt's favor if they would have married. So what if he was a scoundrel, he was a good hearted scoundrel, who was very exciting. I'm sure they would have been happy together had he only had the guts to speak up about his feelings!"

As Severus pondered her words, Minerva spoke.

"I do believe you are just wishing a certain _scoundrel_ of your own would 'speak up,' aren't you?"

"Oh shush Min. You know he's not interested and I wish you would stop mentioning it."

Pomona looked confused, as he found Hufflepuffs so often to be, but he was grateful for her question. "Who exactly are we speaking of?"

Minerva interrupted Rolanda's loud, "No one," with "A certain Potions Master, we all know."

Severus' jaw nearly hit the ground as his eyes nearly left their sockets. Could she possibly mean him? Rolanda had feelings for him?

The woman in question jumped up, obviously angered by Minerva's admission, and turned towards the door, only to see Severus sitting in the corner. It was her turn to freeze, not knowing what to do, but luckily Severus' mind had begun to function.

"Excuse me ladies, but I believe Professor Hooch and I have some _speaking_ to do." Taking her by the hand, Severus led a still stunned Rolanda out the door.

As the door shut behind them, Minerva and Pomona dissolved into drunken laughter. It didn't take long for Poppy, ever the Ravenclaw, to realize Rolanda had been set up by their best friends.

"She'll kill you when she figures out what just happened," Poppy said as she joined their laughter.

Pomona was the first to recover. "Hopefully by then she'll be so happy, she won't care." She smiled brightly at Poppy, before turning to Minerva. "What about you Min, which of dear Jane's men would you want to find at the end of your bed this Christmas?"

Minerva laughed lightly as an image of a certain headmaster dressed only in a large red bow and standing at the end of her bed, began to form. That was one fantasy she'd have to save for later.

"Oh, it's always been Frederick Wentworth for me."

"Ah, we should have known," said Poppy in a sober tone which she was finding difficult to maintain at her current level or perhaps lack of sobriety. "Seemingly unrequited love, so fitting for you."

"I am sure I do not know what you are talking about."

Pomona noticed her heightened Scottish accent, always a sign of her temper being raised. She winked at Poppy before joining in the fun. "Very true, Poppy. Both men came into fame and fortune with a war."

"Both have tried unsuccessfully to find happiness with other women."

"Yes, and both women seem determined to suffer in silence."

"Exactly! Both-"

"_ENOUGH_!" Minerva stood, glowering at the two women before her.

"Oh Min, we didn't mean to upset you. We're just trying to help you admit you love him," Poppy said softly.

"I do not love him. I tell you I don't." She became even more defensive at their looks of disbelief. "That- that was a long time ago, just the silly crush of a school girl. He was right to push me away. It was silly and I'm over it."

"Yes I can see that." Pomona nodded thoughtfully. "You are very much over Albus. Although if that is true, why did you feel the need to transfigure Dolores Umbridge's mauve dress into a muggle tux complete with tails and give her a matching hairstyle and mustache last spring? I had been under the impression it had something to do with her flirtations with Albus."

Minerva smiled sweetly, as all three tried to control their laughter. "He would never be interested in her and she was stupid to try anything. I simply remembered a quote from Nietzsche, 'Stupidity in a woman in unfeminine." As I could do nothing for her intelligence level, I thought I would at least correct her clothing choice to go along with her error in judgment."

Minerva sat back down, this time leaning heavily on her pillow as the three collapsed once again into laughter.

Pomona was once again the first to recover.

"Well my dears, I'm off to bed and hopefully to sweet dreams of Fitzwilliam." She giggled before turning to Minerva. "But I was being serious, Min. You should tell Albus how you feel. Things have changed since the last time."

"I know. Thank you, Mona." The two embraced as Poppy stood to leave.

"I'm going to bed too, but you should stay and enjoy the fire, Min. Maybe you can do some thinking about what we said? It is Christmas. Mona and I may only have our dream men at the moment, but Albus is real. You should tell him."

Minerva hugged Poppy. As the two left, she sat back down in front of the fire, trying desperately to control her tears. She took down her hair and began running her fingers through the long ebony locks, trying to calm herself, as she stared into the flames.

"Maybe the girls are right. Maybe I should tell him," she spoke aloud to herself. "It couldn't hurt more than the last time, could it? And by now he must know this is no school girl crush on a teacher. But how would I tell him?" She closed her eyes, remembering her favorite scene in _Persuasion_, when Anne reads the note left by Captain Wentworth. "I wish I could just leave him a note and give him the choice to seek me out. Maybe if I left it with Fawkes-"

"Or you could just tell me, my dearest."

In a flash Minerva was on her feet, turned toward the voice with her wand at the ready. Only then did she realize it was Albus.

"Al-Albus? How did you…where were you?"

"There are more dark corners than just the one you conveniently trapped Severus in." He took a few steps closer to her.

Suddenly Minerva realized that Rolanda had not been the only one set up that evening.

"How could they? I'll- I'll- Oh I don't know what I'll do, but they will regret this!"

Albus smiled as he closed the distance between them.

"I think they hoped that you would be so happy, you wouldn't care."

"Happy? They have made a fool out of me in front of the one man I-," She looked at him, horror evident in her face. "Oh Albus. I am so sorry. You must have heard everything. I don't know what to say." She looked down at her hands which were now clasped together. "I just hope this won't change anything."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, my dear, but this will change everything."

She looked up sharply at his words, tears pouring down her cheeks. "Everything, Albus?"

He took another step forward, reaching up to cup her cheeks with his hands. His thumbs brushed away her tears as he leaned down. As his lips neared hers, he spoke softly, "Everything, Minerva," before kissing her tenderly.

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The Annual Hogwart's Christmas Party was in full swing. Filius had outdone himself this year with the decorations for Christmas, always his favorite time of year. The staff room was barely tall enough to hold the large Douglas Fir Hagrid had brought in from the forest. It stood proudly, straight as an arrow, in a corner, which had recently been dubbed "Snape's Corner" by the females of the staff. Filius had covered the tree in cranberry garland, bright tinsel, and ornaments representing each of the staff and their guests, which were their Christmas gifts from him.

Minerva stood admiring each of the small ornaments, including her own, a small grey kitten snuggling with a tartan blanket. Every so often a toy mouse would run across the blanket and the kitten would catch it and play with it before going back to sleep. She laughed as the kitten began to groom its face.

"What's so amusing, my love?"

"I was watching my ornament."

Albus wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Filius did capture my favorite side of you."

"My feline form?" She smiled brightly over her shoulder, turning slightly.

"Well, that too, but I was referring to your playful side and of course how sweet you look while you sleep."

Minerva blushed as she went on tip-toe to kiss him. He smiled against her lips, before breaking the kiss.

"I was just coming to bring you to the table, so we could take out seats. I believe dinner will be served soon."

"I wanted to ask you a question first. Whose ornaments are these?" She pointed out two small replicas of Auror shields. One was backed with a tartan she recognized but couldn't place. The other changed from the Auror shield to a Hufflepuff Quidditch Captain patch every few minutes.

"I took the liberty of inviting two extra guests tonight."

She smiled teasingly, "I'm not enough for you?"

He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Not that kind of guests, my dear. I invited Alastor Moody and Richard Worth. I believe you were in school with them."

Albus led her toward the table at the other end of the room. Dinner had just appeared and the guests were taking their seats. Severus and Rolanda, however, were no where to be seen. They hadn't left the dungeons very often in last few days, which everyone had decided was a good sign.

"Ah, I should have known that tartan and Rick was Captain his seventh year. Filius did well considering he wouldn't have taught either of them. But why did you invite them?"

"Well I thought since your dear friends were so helpful, I would return the favor."

Minerva watched as Alastor Moody led Poppy to the table, pulling out her chair. She smiled as she thought about Poppy's comments a few weeks back. Maybe Albus was right.

She leaned over to her left, whispering in his ear. "Alright. I can see Poppy and Alastor needing each other, but what about Rick? I just can't fathom him and Mona together. They haven't spoken since we left Hogwarts and…"

"You, my dear, do not have all the information. I happen to know he has not been interested in another woman since your dear Pomona; he's thrown himself into work trying to get over her. And I believe if you look to your right, you'll find out she is more interested in him than she might let on."

Minerva tried not to be obvious as she glanced to her side. Pomona and Rick stood at the fire. She smiled as she watched her best friend glow with happiness as Rick took her hand and began rubbing the back of it with her thumb. Whatever he was whispering must have been very good news, Pomona was soon wiping tears from her cheeks and smiling brighter than Minerva would have thought possible.

"Oh, Albus. You are so good. You've been like Santa Claus, bringing my friends everything they wanted for Christmas."

"Well they gave me everything I've ever wanted for Christmas, so I thought I would return the favor."

"Everything, Albus?" She smiled sweetly as she repeated her question from a few nights before.

"Everything, Minerva." He kissed her softly before leaning back. "I was going to wait until we were alone later, but I think now would be best." Albus gave her a small present to open.

Minerva unwrapped the present quickly, not noticing that all conversation in the room had stopped and all eyes were on her. Her hands began to shake as she opened a small velvet box and revealed a large, perfect diamond with emeralds on either side, nestled in a ring of platinum.

"A-Albus?" She turned to him, unbelieving, as tears began to fill her eyes.

"I know we haven't been together long, but I have loved you for as long as I've known you. Would you marry me, and be my everything forever, Minerva?"

With tears rolling down her cheeks and eyes twinkling to match her now fiancé, Minerva nodded.

"Forever, Albus."

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_A/N: Thanks for reading and to childminerva for her inspiration! A very merry Christmas and a pound of peanut brittle to each of you! loveOSUSprinks_


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